It was not immediately clear how Ashraf, a senior member of the president's ruling Pakistan People's Party, will respond, but the Pakistan People's Party maintains that the president has immunity while in office.

Demands by the court that the Pakistani prime minister ask Switzerland to reopen the cases led to the downfall of the previous prime minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani, who had rejected the court's order.

Gilani was dismissed June 19 after being convicted of contempt over the issue.